IFWT #149 - Madame Wang's (1981) [ft. Craig Williams a.k.a Mondocraig)

IFWT #149 - Madame Wang's (1981) [ft. Craig Williams a.k.a Mondocraig)

From In Film We Trust by In Film We Trust

February 19, 2026 · 1h 37m

About this episode

The episode features a discussion on Paul Morrissey's film Madame Wang's with guest Craig Williams, exploring its themes and cultural context.

This week I'm joined by Welsh filmmaker and guest film programmer at London's only grindhouse-exclusive picturehouse, The Nickel Cinema, Craig Williams, to discuss Paul Morrissey's near-lost punk artifact Madame Wang's. Centered on a story of of an East German agent who is sent to the United States, not only to search for Jane Fonda, but to wait for the Communist takeover. Along the way he bumps into an eclectic mix of society's throwaways, who teach him the what it is to be an American. Morrissey's film, like his previous Flesh, Trash and Heat films with Andy Warhol, never strays from that street level poetics, and even though Morrissey himself never lived the lives he portrays, he never condemns - this duality is a topic we definitely discuss. You can find Craig Williams on Instagram at @Mondodraig, and you can find The Nickel Cinema at @The NickelCinema.

People in this episode

Host: In Film We Trust

Guest: Craig Williams

Topics covered

  • film analysis
  • punk cinema
  • East German agent
  • American culture
  • Paul Morrissey

Keywords

  • Madame Wang's
  • Paul Morrissey
  • punk film
  • East German agent
  • American identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Nickel Cinema

Books & works: Madame Wang's

More episodes of In Film We Trust

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the In Film We Trust podcast page.